Buffeting noise reducing system and method in a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A buffeting noise reducing system includes: a duct configured for air to pass therethrough, with an air intake at one end disposed inside the vehicle, and a blower assembly at the other end, including an air outlet, a blower fan for blowing air through the air outlet, and a blower motor for operating the blower fan. A control system may drive the blower motor when a noise generation condition is satisfied. The noise generation condition may be based on an opening state of at least one wind inflow port, such as a sunroof or window, and/or on the vehicle speed. A buffeting noise reducing method includes detecting an opening state of a wind inflow port and/or detecting a vehicle speed; judging whether a noise is generated or not, based on information detected in the detection step; and discharging air in a passenger compartment to outside if noise is generated.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to Korean Patent application NO. 10-2006-0105832 filed on Oct. 30, 2006, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a buffeting noise reducing system and method in a vehicle. In particular, the present invention relates to a buffeting noise reducing system and method in a vehicle which can reduce the buffeting noise generated when a wind inflow port such as a sun roof, or a rear side door window of one side of a vehicle is opened.

b) Description of the Related Art

During driving, when only a sun roof, or only one rear window is opened, there is a problem that a buffeting noise is generated. It is widely known that the problem is caused by buffeting generated by air turbulence. However, when another wind inflow port, for example, a front window, is opened, such a buffeting noise is eliminated.

A deflector is generally provided to sun roofs in order to prevent the noise generated due to opening of a sun roof. But, even though a deflector is provided in the sun roof, if the owner of a vehicle remodels his car to satisfy his taste, a buffeting noise may be generated.

In addition, a means and method for eliminating or reducing the buffeting noise generated due to opening of a back door window would be desirable.

The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a buffeting noise reducing system and method in a vehicle which can reduce the buffeting noise generated when only one wind inflow port such as a sun roof or window is opened.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a buffeting noise reducing system in a vehicle which comprises: a duct having an air intake at one end, disposed inside a vehicle, and a blower assembly connected to the other end of the duct including an air outlet connected to outside of the vehicle, a blower fan, and a blower motor for rotating the blower fan. When a buffeting noise is generated, the inside air of the vehicle is discharged to the outside by the blower motor, and thus the buffeting noise is reduced.

The buffeting noise reducing system further comprises: a wind inflow port opening detection unit for detecting opening of wind inflow ports; a speed sensor for detecting a speed of the vehicle; and a control unit for driving the blower motor when a buffeting noise generation condition is satisfied based on information provided from the wind inflow port opening detection unit and the speed sensor.

An opening/closing plate is further provided in the air outlet and the control unit controls the degree of opening of the opening/closing plate through driving an actuator.

A further embodiment of the present invention provides a buffeting noise reducing method in a vehicle which comprises: a opening detection step for detecting an opening state of the wind inflow ports; a speed detection step for detecting a speed of the vehicle; a judging step for judging whether a buffeting noise is generated or not, based on information provided by the wind inflow port and the speed information; and a blower driving step for discharging the inside air to the outside if it is judged that the buffeting noise is generated.

The judging step judges at least one opening state of only a sun roof, or an opening state of only a rear window as an opening state during which the buffeting noise is generated. The judging step further judges the speed of the vehicle is 40-60 kph in case of the opening state of only the sun roof, and the speed of the vehicle is 60-80 kph in case of the opening state of only the rear window as states in which buffeting noise is generated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are drawings showing a buffeting noise reducing system in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a drawing showing a buffeting noise reducing system in a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a buffeting noise reducing method in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a buffeting noise reducing method in a vehicle in the judging step according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a buffeting noise reducing method in a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings

Referring to the drawings, a buffeting noise reducing system of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a duct 10, one end of which is fluidly connected to the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and a blower assembly 20 for discharging the inside air of the vehicle introduced into the duct 10.

An air intake 12 is provided at one end of the duct 10 at the rear of the passenger compartment, and, in vehicles having a package tray 8, is provided in the package tray 8. The air intake 12 is provided with a cover of a mesh type to prevent foreign objects from being introduced into the duct 10.

The duct 10 is connected to the blower assembly 20 at its other end for discharging the inside air to outside, and the blower assembly 20 is disposed at the lower side of the back of the vehicle, for example at the trunk.

The blower assembly 20 includes a housing 22 defining an air chamber, a blower fan 24 provided inside the housing 22, a blower motor 26 that drives the blower fan 24, and an air outlet 23. A 400 W blower motor may be used.

An opening/closing plate 28 is provided in the air outlet 23, and an actuator 29 adjusts the degree of opening of the opening/closing plate 28.

A speed sensor 33 detects a vehicle speed. The system also includes a wind inflow port opening detection unit 34 and a control unit 30, which may comprise a processor, memory, and associated hardware, software, and/or firmware as may be selected and programmed by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings herein.

The wind inflow port opening detection unit 34 detects an opening state of the wind inflow ports, such as the sun roof 2 and rear window 4.

The wind inflow port opening detection unit 34 may include a sensor provided at the wind inflow port. Alternatively, it may include a switch detection sensor which detects an operation of the sun roof or window switch (i.e. the switch operated by the user to open or close the window or sunroof). Alternatively, it may include an actuator detection sensor which detects operation of an actuator for driving the window or the sun roof.

The wind inflow port opening detection unit 34 detects a single wind inflow port opening state, e.g. only the sun roof is opened while the other inflow ports are closed.

The control unit 30 receives opening information from the wind inflow port opening detection unit 34, detects a speed of the vehicle by information transmitted from the speed sensor 32, and controls the operation of the blower motor 26 and the actuator 29.

Referring to FIG. 3, in a hybrid vehicle including a battery 5 provided in a trunk, the duct 10 may be connected to a cooling path 15 for cooling the battery 5 so that the battery 5 may be cooled by the inside air of a vehicle introduced into the duct 10. The air is introduced into the cooling path 15, and then is introduced into the blower housing 22, and subsequently is discharged to via the air outlet 23.

A buffeting noise of a vehicle depends on the volume and layout of the passenger compartment and in light of these factors, if only the sun roof 2 is opened, the buffeting noise is generated when a speed of a vehicle is 40-60 kph, and if only one rear window 4 is opened, the buffeting noise is generated when the speed is 60-80 kph.

Referring to FIG. 4, the buffeting noise reducing method according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises an opening detection step S10 of a wind inflow port; a speed detection step S20; a judging step S30 for judging whether the detected state belongs to a state that a buffeting noise is generated, and a blower driving step S40.

In the opening detection step S10, the opening state of a wind inflow port is detected by the wind inflow port opening detection unit 34; e.g. the wind inflow port opening detection unit 34 detects whether a current state is a single wind inflow port opening state, and provides the information to the control unit 30.

In the speed detection step S20 vehicle speed is sensed by the speed sensor 32. The speed sensor 32 provides the information to the control unit 30.

In the judging step S30, the control unit 30 judges whether the detected state is a state in which buffeting noise is generated. A database related to the opening state of a wind inflow port and the speed of a vehicle corresponding to the opening state is provided to the control unit 30 as a pre-set information.

Referring to FIG. 5, in an exemplary embodiment, the control unit 30 judges the detected state as a buffeting noise state if only the sun roof 2 is opened, and the speed is 40-60 kph. Further, the control unit 30 judges the detected state as a buffeting noise state if only a rear window 4 of is opened, and the speed is 60-80 kph.

If the detected state is judged as a state in which the buffeting noise is generated, at the judging step S30, the blower driving step S40 is executed.

At the blower driving step S40, the control unit 30 provides a driving signal to the blower motor 26, and thereby the inside air of a vehicle is discharged.

The control unit 30 provides a signal to the actuator 29 for adjusting the degree of opening of the opening/closing plate 28 and thereby allows the opening/closing plate 28 to be opened completely.

On the other hand, according to a buffeting noise reducing system and method in a vehicle of the present invention, when the blower is not operated, it is possible to adjust the degree of opening of the opening/closing plate to correspond to the speed of the vehicle so that the inhaling and discharging sound (the noise generated when inflow and outflow of air are generated due to the difference of pressure between the indoors and the outdoors during driving) may be reduced.

FIG. 6 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprising a step for reducing the inhaling and discharging sound,

If the detected state is a state in which buffeting noise is generated, the blower driving step S40 is executed, and if the detected state is not a state in which buffeting noise is generated, step S50 for adjusting the degree of opening of the opening/closing plate 28 is executed for reducing the inhaled and discharged sound.

The degree of opening of the opening/closing plate 28 which can reduce the inhaled and discharged sound depending on the speed of vehicle may be stored in the control unit 30 as a database.

For reducing the inhaled and discharged sound, it is derived by an experiment that when the speed is below 60 kph, a full-open state is preferable, and that when the speed is over 60 kph, a opening of ⅓ full open is preferable.

Accordingly, at the step S50, when the speed is below 60 kph, the opening/closing plate may be completely opened, and when the speed is below 60 kph, the opening/closing plate may be opened by ⅓ level of a full-open.

A buffeting noise reducing system in a vehicle according to the present invention can be used together with a ventilation system provided for inside ventilation, and the battery cooling system of a vehicle as shown in FIG. 3, and in this case, the blower may be controlled both by logic for a buffeting noise reducing method, and logic for ventilation or cooling.

While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

1. A buffeting noise reducing system in a vehicle comprising: a duct comprising a first and second end and configured and dimensioned for air to pass therethrough; an air intake at the first end of the duct and configured to be disposed inside a passenger compartment of the vehicle; a blower assembly attached to the second end of the duct, and comprising an air outlet, a blower fan for blowing air through the air outlet, and a blower motor for operating the blower fan.
 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control unit for driving the blower motor when a noise generation condition is satisfied.
 3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a wind inflow port opening detection unit for determining an opening of at least one wind inflow port, wherein the noise generation condition is based on the opening of the at least one wind inflow port.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the condition is based on the opening state of exactly one of the at least one wind inflow port.
 5. The system of claim 2, further comprising a speed sensor for determining a speed of the vehicle, wherein the noise generation condition is based on the speed of the vehicle.
 6. The system of claim 1, further comprising: an opening/closing plate disposed in the air outlet; an actuator for variably opening the opening/closing plate; and a control unit that controls the actuator based on an operation state of the vehicle.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the duct is connected to a cooling path of a battery in a trunk of the vehicle.
 8. The system of claim 3, wherein the inflow port comprises a sunroof or a window.
 9. The system of claim 4, further comprising a speed sensor for determining a speed of the vehicle, wherein the noise generation condition is further based on the speed of the vehicle.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the condition comprises the exactly one of the at least one wind inflow port being open and the vehicle speed being in a set range.
 11. A buffeting noise reducing method in a vehicle comprising: a detection step comprising at least one of: an opening detection step of detecting an opening state of at least one wind inflow port, and a speed detection step of detecting a speed of the vehicle; a judging step of judging whether a noise is generated, based on information detected in the detection step; and a blower driving step of discharging air in a passenger compartment of the vehicle to outside if it is judged that the noise is generated.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising controlling an opening position of an opening/closing plate in a path of the air, the controlling being based on the speed of the vehicle.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the opening detection step comprises detecting an opening state of exactly one of the at least one wind inflow port.
 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one inflow port comprises a sunroof or a window.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the detection step comprises detecting an opening state of exactly one of the at least one wind input port and detecting if the speed of the vehicle is in a set range; and wherein the judging step comprises judging that the noise is generated if the opening state of the exactly one of the at least one wind input port is satisfied and the speed of the vehicle is in the set range.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the exactly one of the at least one wind input port is a sunroof.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the set range is between about 40-60 kph.
 18. The method of claim 15, wherein the exactly one of the at least one wind input port is a window.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the set range is between about 60-80 kph. 